What Moms of Many Think About When All is Calm

You don’t have to have a large family to know this one all too well. Unless the children are snug in their beds, calm is a bit unnerving.

2. Meals

If they aren’t sleeping, they are eating. If I’m not thinking about the next meal I need to feed them, I’m thinking about a menu plan and grocery list for next week/month/year.

3. Diapers

Some large family moms don’t have babies in diapers anymore, but the vast majority of us do. So, most moms of many are either contemplating who might need changing next or those of us who cloth diaper are dreaming of what we might add to our stash or the less glamorous – when we need to wash them next.

4. School

Even if you don’t homeschool, you can’t get away from this one. A lot of kiddos in school means a lot of thought about school. And if you homeschool, well, you get a double whammy. You don’t get to just think about school from the student perspective, you get to think about it from the teacher perspective too!

5. Efficiency

I don’t know a single mom of many out there who doesn’t wonder how she can be more efficient. Which leads me to…

6. Research

Any down time I have, you can usually find me researching something. Be it on Google, Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, even Instagram…my eyes are peeled and my brain is thinking. (Want to follow my research? Click any of those links and join me!)

7. Sleep

Yes, we think about sleep and occasionally, we actually manage to get some. But, 9 times out of 10, we choose to just think about it and keep on keeping on.

8. Too much

Do we have too much stuff? Did we spend too much money? Did I purchase too much curriculum this year? Did I drink too much coffee? Do I think too much?

9. Not enough

Is there not enough food/toilet paper/toothpaste in the house? Did the children not do enough school today? Did I not spend enough time with the husband today? Did I not spend enough time with Jesus today?

Which leads me to the natural conclusion of a post like this…

10. Prayer

Any Christian mom of many will tell you her day is full of prayer. I pray about everything it seems. I spend a hefty amount of time thanking God for His mercies as well. How could I not? And guess what? I do this even when it isn’t calm.

Comments

Ha Ha, this made me laugh. I don’t consider myself a mom of many…..yet. I’m pregnant for the 6th time, and this will be our 4th baby. BUT, we are in the begining stages of a family of many as we plan to leave that up to God. I guess I’m already somewhat in this mindset (since I usually assume God has at least another 3 for us, when I think of my age and all), because I think like this already. Your blog often makes me feel so NORMAL! 🙂

Oh my! Numbers 8!!. 9. and 10. really resonated over here! Right now, on top of having a house full, we are in the process of selling our home and trying to find a new place to live. Thinking about that I’m off to reference your past articles on moving with a large family, we haven’t moved in almost 7 years so for our kids this is almost like the first time… So much to do! Thanks for all of the encouragement you provide.
~Rachel

Amy…I think you read my mind ! You made me smile this morning and gave us all peace in knowing that we are not alone !! I am blessed with 7 children and God gives the grace daily. Thank you for your words !

Surely you don’t mean to suggest that we only think of these things when all is calm? HAHA!! I think about most of those things regardless. Thus the reason I’m always thinking about how to be more efficient. 😉

I loved this list! I only have 3 kiddos, so some of this didn’t apply to me, but I still loved reading it. I particularly loved 8 & 9… how funny that two such opposite things could fit together so very well? 🙂 (And, even with a smaller family, I could relate to #7. I do that way too often. THINK about resting when I should be actually doing it.)

I have only 1 child (so far), but your #2 reminded me of my mention to another mom that I was surprised at how much time nursing took. She mentioned that once you get more than one child, that’s seems to be all you’re doing. You’re either feeding the baby, feeding the masses, planning the next meal, or cleaning up from the last one. You seem ALWAYS to be doing one of those things.

I adore that you wrote this. It seriously made me laugh out loud at one point. It was as if you had peeked into my brain. 🙂 With regards to number one, my husband and I were enjoying some much needed time together in the living room yesterday, when I told him that I needed to make sure our toddler was alright.

“Why?” he asked, “It’s only been ten minutes. I don’t hear her.” At which point I had to explain that was the problem! It had been ten minutes and no, I didn’t hear her! When we got to her room I discovered her quietly reading a book on the floor- with her entire bookshelf of additional books piled on the floor around her. It was a nice chance to talk about how we only take down one book at a time, and show Daddy that quiet is not normal. 🙂

As a mom of 7, I can honestly say that when it’s calm(which really only is when they’re all asleep!) I think of nothing…absolutely nothing. If I start thinking, like I did last night, I dream of homeschool biology. 😛

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Just 11 short days after this photo was taken, our 5th child, Emily, died. To read her story click on her picture. To find resources for grieving families, visit The Grieving Mother section of this site.